Corn-hoe



(No Model.)

L. CONNOR.

CORN HOB. No; 274,108. Patented Mar. 20,1883.

N. PETERS, Piwlu-Lilhcflraphlr. wmingm. 01c.

UNITED STATES PATENT raise.

LAURENCE CONNOR, OF FOX LAKE, WISGC'NSIN.

COR'N-H'OE.

' Q SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. $74,108, datedMarch 20, 1883.

Application filed June 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all-whom it may concern Be it known that I, LAURENCE CONNOR, of FoxLake, in the county ofDodge and State of Wisconsin, have inventedcertain new and useful Imnroveinentsin Corn-Hoes; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in corn-hoes or hand-cultivators,and has for its object to provide a construction by which the earthabout the corn may be thoroughly and quickly loosened and stirred byaless number of movements and with less exertion by the operator than arerequired by the common forms of hoe.

The invention consists essentially in a bandle having at one endaT-head,by which it is held and rotated, and at the other twocentrally-separated groups of teeth duly supported, having the samegeneral direction as the handle, andintended to be thrust verticallyintothe ground about the corn and revolved, said handle being providedwith means for retaining the center of motion while the teeth are beingrevolved.

It consists, further, in devices for regulating the depth to which theteeth may penetrate the earth, and in certain other features ofconstruction, as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the broad side ofmyimproved hoe. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the hoe, rotated aquarter-turn from the position shown in Fig. l, or with the hoe-teethbrought into line with the eye.

A is a handle--say two and a half feet long, or thereabouthaving at itsupper end a fixed head,A. by which the hoe is carried andv operated,andhaving at its lower end the horizontal teeth-head B,;t'rom which dependthe teeth B.

As shown in the drawings. and for reasons which. will hereinafterappear, the teeth B are disposed along the outer portion of each half ofthe head B, so as to leave a central space beneath the handle A withoutteeth. Said teeth may be made in a variety of forms, and

may also vary in number. They may be arranged to depend in a strictlyvertical direction, or set obliquely, or may be curved. In

gles with the head B but, for reasons to be presently shown, all theteeth in one group are thus curved to one side, and all in the othergroup to the other side of said head B.

(J is a slender central spike setinto the lower end of the handle A, orsecured to the head B axially in line with said handle, and extendingdownward a distance below the ends of the teeth B, as shown.

D is a cross-head applied to the handle A, just above the head B, insuch manner as to rotate on said handle, and longer than the head B. Atits ends said head I) is provided with the downwardly-projecting arms D,extending a short distance below the line of the hoeteeth B. The arms Dare provided with the 'flanges d, which are preferably verticallyadjustable on the arms by being screw-threaded thereon, as shown.

In operation the tool is carried from hill to hill by the T-head A,andpreparatory to hoeing a hill of corn it is thrust downward or let fallwith the spike O standing vertical in the center of the hill. Theflanges d serve as guides or gages to regulate the depth at which theteeth should penetrate the ground. After being thus thrust into the hillthe T-head A is rotated by the hands-say a half-revolution and back toits original positionoarrying the teeth B circularly about the spike Oand around the plants. or forward rotation is such as to give the teethB a plow action if of the curved or. plow shape shown. In this rotationof the handle and teeth the arms D D remain stationary The direction ofthe first and obviously assist in holding the tool in a v verticalposition. They also cooperate with the central spike, O, to preserve thecenter of rotary motion. For the latter purpose, either the said spikeor the arms I) are alone suflicient; but 1 prefer to use both, for thecombined purposes set forth.

As a suitable device for properly connecting the several parts at thelower end of the handle A, the casting E is provided, said castinghaving a socket in its upper end for the reception of the handle A, twolateral flanges at its lower end for the attachment of the head B bybolts 6 e, and a central groove, 6, in which the bar D, bent at itsmiddle to fit half around the same, is held by the similarly bent plate(1. (Shown in Fig. 1 and absent in Fig. 2.)

It is manifest that a vertical shaft corresponding with the handle A mayhave a plow or set of teeth B projecting on one side only of its axis,which tooth or teeth may be revolved entirely around the hill by asimple gearing,

similar to that of a class of egg-heaters, or of spikes which enter theground and preserve the center of motion of said teeth when the latterare revolved byrotation of the handle, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary hand'cultivator, the combination, with the handle havinglongitudinallyprojecting teeth B, secured thereto and arranged at one orboth sides of the axis of the handle, as shown, of the spike G, securedin the end of and in line with the handle and longer than the teeth B,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the handle having rigidly attached longitudinallyprojecting teeth B at one or both sides of the handleaxis, as described,the cross-head D, centrally pivoted to the handle, and having the down-\vardly-projecting arms D, exterior to the teeth and provided withgage-plates 61, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

LAURENCE CONNOR.

Witnesses;

L. C. GERARD, A. G. DOMINY.

